Knickerbockerglory mixes reality and performance for BBC3

BBC Three has commissioned a new type of show for the corporation: a mix of structured reality with pop music performances.

South Side Story. made by Knickerbockerglory, features a 'cast' of performers from South London in a six-part series that follows their real lives as well as showcasing their talents as performers.

Zai Bennett, controller of BBC Three, says: “South Side Story promises to bring BBC Three a heady mix of real people's lives and visually stunning performances. It's an experimental new style of story-telling in the reality TV world and is exactly the kind of show we should be experimenting with on BBC Three.”

BBC Three has also ordered Killer Magic (working title) from Objective Scotland, in which five young magicians compete against each other in a series of tasks, in the hope of avoiding having to face a killer trick – a notorious illusion or magic trick that has jeopardised the lives of those who have tried to perform it throughout

Killer Magic was commissioned by Zai Bennett and Alan Tyler, BBC commissioning editor for Entertainment. Executive producers are Anthony Owen, who created the format, and Objective chief executive Andrew Newman. Series producer is Toby Stevens.

After the success of the first series, BBC Three has also re-commissioned Mentorn Media's Hotel Of Mum And Dad for a second run.

Building on the original format, the six-part series will see 12 more couples who have had to live with their parents or in-laws tackle the challenge of road-testing a place of their own. With more focus on family dynamics before the couple moves out, the series will rig cameras in the parental home.
Hotel Of Mum And Dad was commissioned by Zai Bennett and Alan Tyler, BBC commissioning editor for Entertainment.

Reflecting on all three commissions, Bennett says: “Entertainment on BBC Three is all about the new stars of tomorrow and bringing our audience closer to themselves in extraordinary worlds and circumstances. I'm delighted these three shows will be doing just that on the channel this year.”